Journal-box



(N0 Mbdelq)v D. W. COPELAND.

JOURNAL BOX.

No. 495,345. Patented Apr. 25, 1893.

C I I i v- I WITNESS-8: I m B C11 2 i mm, i BY I ATTORNEYS .l

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UNITED STATES I PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID W. COPELAND, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK.

JOU RNAL-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent N0. 496,345, dated April25, 1893.

Application filed June 13,1892. Serial No. 436,416- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, DAVID W. COPELAND, of Syracuse, in the county ofOnondaga, in the State of New York, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Journal-Boxes, of which the following, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

My invention relates to improvements in journal boxes, and has for itsobject the production of a simple, practical, and efficient devicecapable of self adjustment for preventing the usual binding of the axleorjournal when one of its ends is caused to assume an abnormal position,as, for instance, when it is elevated or depressed when passing overelevations or depressions, oris advanced or retracted from the planeoccupied by the other end, when rounding curves; and to this enditconsists, essentially, in an outer casing provided with a rib projectingfrom its inner face and formed with a bearing face of rounding crosssection and anti friction rollers each having their bearing facesnormally separated from the inner face of said casing and formed ofgreater width than the bearing face of said rib and provided with agroove of rounding cross section for engaging the bearing face of saidrib.

The invention also consists in the detail construction and arrangementof the parts, all as hereinafter more particularly described and pointedout in the claims.

In describing this invention, reference is had to the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part of this specification, in which, like lettersindicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved journal box and the detachedend of an axle mounted therein. Fig. 2 isalongitudinal verticalsectional view of the parts as shown at Fig. 1, the axle being inelevation. Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are transverse vertical sectional views,taken, respectively, on lines 33, 44t and 55 Fig. 2. Fig. 6 isa top planview of a detached portion of the divider for separating theanti-friction rollers of my invention; and Fig. 7 is a verticalsectional view of said divider, taken on line 77, Fig. 6.

It is well known that journals, axles, &c.,

friction rollers encircling the sleeve.

revolve only with considerable friction, and are extremely liable tobind when rounding a curve,or when one end assumes an abnormal position,and that there have been devised boxes provided with anti-frictionrollers encircling the axle and also boxes provided with a sleeveencircling the axle, and with anti- All these devices, however, are soconstructed that when rounding a curve or passing over an elevation or adepression, the anti-friction rollers are unable to adjust oraccommodate themselves to the abnormal position of the axle andconsequently bind thereupon, causing wear or flattening of the rollersand of the axle,which soon renders the box and axle practicallyworthless and necessitates either the replacement of the box, the axleor the rollers. Myinvention is differentiated from these former types ofjournal boxes, in that, each of the rollers has an independentadjustable movement which permits the same to operate with the samedegree of ease when the axle is in an abnormal position as at any othertime, thus obviating all binding or cramping of the axle and reducing toa minimum the friction incidental to its rotation. This desirable resultis effected by a rib of rounding cross section, which projects from theinner face of the outer casing of the box, and is provided with abearing face, and anti friction rollershaving their bearing facesnormally separated from the inner face of said casing and formed ofgreater width than the bearing face of said rib and provided with agroove of rounding cross section for engaging the bearing face of saidrib, whereby each roller is free to rock independently on said rib asthe axle or journal rounds a curve, or as one end assumes an abnormalposition.

A represents the box, here shown as provided with a central chamber aand as composed of the outer sections A''A?. Interposed between thesections A--A is a central section B- best seen at Fig. 4, whichconsists of two divisions bb, is formed with ribs having their innerfaces projecting beyond the corresponding faces -aa of the sections A'Aand formed with an outer bearing face b which is preferably curved orrounding.

In order to facilitate secnrement in position of the sections b-b of theinner section ]3 of the outer casing -A, the opposite extremities of thesection b are formed with dowels -b" adapted to engage sockets bin theadjacent ends of the section b-. Suitable clamps, as bolts -O, firmlysecure the separate sections of the easing together and cause the sameto form a complete and solid whole.

-D is the axle having its extremity-clpassed within the chamber-athrough an opening -A in the upright wall of the easing section Awhich is formed of greater diameter than said axle end -(Z forpermitting the axle to adjust itself within the box without bearingagainst the wall -a of the opening -A The extreme end of the axle entersa closed chamber A in the section A formed of greater diameter than saidaxle for enabling the axle end to move freely within said chamber.

-D' is a shoulder upon the axle bearing against the upright edge a ofthe outer wall of the inner casing section -A E-- representsal'iti-friction rollers arranged in a series surrounding the axle end--(Z-. The bearing faces -eof these rollers are each considerably widerthan the bearin g face b of the rib -b and are adapted to bear againstthe face of the axle end --(Z-. As is clearly seen at Figs. 2 and 3, therollers E do not bear against the inner faces of the outer casingsections A A but considerable space intervenes between said rollers andinner faces.

The rollers -E are formed with grooves E' arranged between theirextremities and formed of rounding cross section for receiving the rib bBy arranging the grooves -E between the opposite extremities of therollers E, these extremities have a bearing upon the axle and theircentral portions bear upon the rib -Z) Consequently, the rollers -E areprevented from lengthwise movement of the axle end d, and are free toadjust themselves as the axle end is elevated, depressed, retracted oradvanced. This adjustment of the rollers would not be permitted however,if their opposite extremities engaged the adjacent face of the outercasing and also engaged the axle end -(Z and is effected by mounting andsupporting the rollers, as just described.

-F- is a divider for preventing contact of adjacentrollers. Aspreferably constructed, this divider consists of a ring encircling theaxle end (Z and formed with projecting peripheral arms interposedbetween the adjacent rollers and registered with the grooves E' in saidrollers. The sides -f-- of the arm are curved in cross section and thearms and ring are of insnfiicient width to retard the accommodativemovement of the rollers.

In operation, the end -dof the axle D is passed through the innersection -A of the box --A. The divider F- is then mounted upon the axleand the rollers E- placed in relative position around the divider; thesections Z)Z) of the central casing section -B- are registered with thegrooves E'- in the rollers, the outer section A placed in position andthe bolts C actuated to draw the sections of the outer casing firmly oneagainst the other. The divider F or the central casin g section B- maybe readily removed and replaced when worn withoutnecessitating removalof the box and these parts are preferably formed of softer material thanthe rollers in order that the life of the rollers may be lengthened tothe utmost.

The parts of my invention are simple in construction, are readilyassembled and replaced and the Whole forms a highly efficient anddurable journal box, the rollers of which readily adjust themselves toan abnormal position of the axle, and revolve freely in said position,thus obviating any liability of the axle to bind, and unduly wearitself, the rollers, or the journal box.

It will be understood that the detail construction and arrangementof theparts of my invention may be somewhat varied from those shown anddescribed, as for instance, the rib b may be formed integral with theeasing A and the said casing may then be composed of two diagonallyseparable sections or the construction of the divider maybe also varied.llencel do not herein limit my invention to the precise construction andarrangement of its component parts.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The herein described roller bearing, the same comprising an outercasing provided with an annular rib projecting from its inner face andformed of rounding cross section, anti friction rollers having bearingfaces of greater width than the bearing face of said rib, the rollerbearing faces being normally separated from the inner face of the casingand being each provided with a groove for receiving the bearing rib,whereby the rollers have an independent adjustable movement on said rib,substantially as described.

2. The herein described roller bearing, the same comprising an outercasing having a central section arranged between the opposite sides ofthe casing and formed of separable divisions having inner bearing facesprojecting beyond the corresponding face of the remaining portion ofsaid casing and formed of rounding cross section, anti-friction rollershaving bearing faces of greater width than the bearing face of saiddivisions of the central section, the roller bearing faces beingnormally separated from the inner face of the casing, and being eachprovided with a groove of rounding cross section arranged midway betweentheir extremities for receiving the bearing face of said central sectiondivisions, whereby the rollers have an independent adjustable movement,substantially as described.

3. The herein described roller bearing, the same comprising an outercasing provided with an annular rib projecting from its inner face andformed of rounding cross section, anti friction rollers having bearingfaces of greater width than the bearing face of said rib, the rollerbearing faces being normally separated from the inner face of the casingand being each provided with a groove for'receiving the bearing rib,whereby the rollers have an independent adjustable movement on said rib,and a separator for preventing the adjacent rollers from contacting witheach other, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. The herein described journal box, the same comprising an outer casingformed of separable outer sections, and a central section interposedbetween the former sections and formed with an inner bearing face ofrounding cross section projecting beyond the corresponding faces of theouter sections, and bolts passing through said sections for securing thesame together; anti friction rollers having bearing faces of greaterwidth than the inner bearing face of said central section, the rollerbearing faces being normally separated from the inner face of the casingand being each provided with a groove of roundtheirbearing faces ofgreater width than the bearing face of said rib, and said roller bearingfaces normally separated from the inner face of the casing, and saidrollers provided with grooves for receiving the bearing rib, whereby therollers have an adjustable movement 011 said rib, and a ring registeredwith said grooves,surrounding the axle and formed at intervals withprojecting arms arranged between adjacent rollers for preventing theircontact, substantially asset forth.

6. The combination, with a journal box formed with separable outersections; of a central section formed with an inner bearing faceprojecting beyond the corresponding faces of the outersections, andbolts for 'securingsaid sections together; of anti-friction rollersformed with bearing faces of greater width than the projecting face ofthe central section, said rollers being normally separated from theinner faces of the outer sectionsand provided with groovesarrangedbetween their opposite extremities for receiving said projectingface of the central section, whereby the rollers have an adjustablemovement on said rib, and a ring registered with said grooves,surrounding the axle and formed at intervals with arms arrangedbetweenadjacent rollers for preventing their contact, substantially as and forthe purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name, in the presence oftwo attesting witnesses, at Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, in theState of New York, this 6th day of June, 1892.

DAVID W. COPELAND.

Witnesses:

CLARK H. NORTON, L. M. BAXTER.

